17-the water-lily-第2章

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the　old　wizard　himself　arrived　on　the　wings　of　the　wind。

〃Honored　King；〃　said　the　wizard；　〃the　wind　has　blown

this　illness　upon　your　son；　and　a　magic　ball　has　snatched

away　his　beloved。　This　it　is　which　makes　him　grieve　so

constantly。　Let　the　wind　blow　upon　him　that　it　may　blow

away　his　sorrow。〃　Then　the　King　made　his　son　go　out

into　the　wind；　and　he　gradually　recovered　and　told　his

father　all。　〃Forget　the　maiden；〃　said　the　King；　〃and　take

another　bride〃；　but　the　Prince　said　he　could　never　love

another。



A　year　afterward　he　came　suddenly　upon　the　bridge

where　his　beloved　met　her　death。　As　he　recalled　the

misfortune　he　wept　bitterly；　and　would　have　given　all　he

possessed　to　have　her　once　more　alive。　In　the　midst　of　his

grief　he　thought　he　heard　a　voice　singing；　and　looked

round；　but　could　see　no　one。　Then　he　heard　the　voice

again；　and　it　said：



〃Alas！　bewitched　and　all　forsaken；

　　'Tis　I　must　lie　for　ever　here！

My　beloved　no　thought　has　taken

　　To　free　his　bride；　that　was　so　dear。〃



He　was　greatly　astonished；　sprang　from　his　horse；　and

looked　everywhere　to　see　if　no　one　were　hidden　under　the

bridge；　but　no　one　was　there。　Then　he　noticed　a　yellow

water…lily　floating　on　the　surface　of　the　water；　half　hidden

by　its　broad　leaves；　but　flowers　do　not　sing；　and　in　great

surprise　he　waited；　hoping　to　hear　more。　Then　again　the

voice　sang：



〃Alas！　bewitched　and　all　forsaken；

　　'Tis　I　must　lie　for　ever　here！

My　beloved　no　thought　has　taken

　　To　free　his　bride；　that　was　so　dear。〃



The　Prince　suddenly　remembered　the　gold…spinners；　and

said　to　himself：　〃If　I　ride　thither；　who　knows　but　that

they　could　explain　this　to　me？〃　He　at　once　rode　to　the

hut；　and　found　the　two　maidens　at　the　fountain。　He　told

them　what　had　befallen　their　sister　the　year　before；　and

how　he　had　twice　heard　a　strange　song；　but　yet　could　see

no　singer。　They　said　that　the　yellow　water…lily　could　be

none　other　than　their　sister；　who　was　not　dead；　but

transformed　by　the　magic　ball。　Before　he　went　to　bed；　the

eldest　made　a　cake　of　magic　herbs；　which　she　gave　him　to

eat。　In　the　night　he　dreamed　that　he　was　living　in　the

forest　and　could　understand　all　that　the　birds　said　to　each

other。　Next　morning　he　told　this　to　the　maidens；　and

they　said　that　the　charmed　cake　had　caused　it；　and

advised　him　to　listen　well　to　the　birds；　and　see　what　they

could　tell　him；　and　when　he　had　recovered　his　bride　they

begged　him　to　return　and　deliver　them　from　their

wretched　bondage。



Having　promised　this；　he　joyfully　returned　home；　and

as　he　was　riding　through　the　forest　he　could　perfectly

understand　all　that　the　birds　said。　He　heard　a　thrush　say

to　a　magpie：　〃How　stupid　men　are！　they　cannot　understand

the　simplest　thing。　It　is　now　quite　a　year　since　the

maiden　was　transformed　into　a　water…lily；　and；　though

she　sings　so　sadly　that　anyone　going　over　the　bridge　must

hear　her；　yet　no　one　comes　to　her　aid。　Her　former　bridegroom

rode　over　it　a　few　days　ago　and　heard　her　singing；

but　was　no　wiser　than　the　rest。〃



〃And　he　is　to　blame　for　all　her　misfortunes；〃　added　the

magpie。　〃If　he　heeds　only　the　words　of　men　she　will　remain

a　flower　for　ever。　She　were　soon　delivered　were　the

matter　only　laid　before　the　old　wizard　of　Finland。〃



After　hearing　this；　the　Prince　wondered　how　he　could

get　a　message　conveyed　to　Finland。　He　heard　one　swallow

say　to　another：　〃Come；　let　us　fly　to　Finland；　we　can　build

better　nests　there。〃



〃Stop；　kind　friends！〃　cried　the　Prince。　〃Will　you　do

something　for　me？〃　The　birds　consented；　and　he　said：

〃Take　a　thousand　greetings　from　me　to　the　wizard　of

Finland；　and　ask　him　how　I　may　restore　a　maiden　transformed

into　a　flower　to　her　own　form。〃



The　swallows　flew　away；　and　the　Prince　rode　on　to　the

bridge。　There　he　waited；　hoping　to　hear　the　song。　But

he　heard　nothing　but　the　rushing　of　the　water　and　the

moaning　of　the　wind；　and；　disappointed；　rode　home。



Shortly　after；　he　was　sitting　in　the　garden；　thinking

that　the　swallows　must　have　forgotten　his　message；　when

he　saw　an　eagle　flying　above　him。　The　bird　gradually

descended　until　it　perched　on　a　tree　close　to　the　Prince

and　said：　〃The　wizard　of　Finland　greets　thee　and　bids　me

say　that　thou　mayest　free　the　maiden　thus：　Go　to　the　river

and　smear　thyself　all　over　with　mud；　then　say：　‘From　a

man　into　a　crab；'　and　thou　wilt　become　a　crab。　Plunge

boldly　into　the　water；　swim　as　close　as　thou　canst　to　the

water…lily's　roots；　and　loosen　them　from　the　mud　and

reeds。　This　done；　fasten　thy　claws　into　the　roots　and

rise　with　them　to　the　surface。　Let　the　water　flow　all　over

the　flower；　and　drift　with　the　current　until　thou　comest　to

a　mountain　ash　tree　on　the　left　bank。　There　is　near　it　a

large　stone。　Stop　there　and　say：　‘From　a　crab　into　a　man；

from　a　water…lily　into　a　maiden；'　and　ye　both　will　be

restored　to　your　own　forms。〃



Full　of　doubt　and　fear；　the　Prince　let　some　time　pass

before　he　was　bold　enough　to　attempt　to　rescue　the

maiden。　Then　a　crow　said　to　him：　〃Why　dost　thou　hesitate？

The　old　wizard　has　not　told　thee　wrong；　neither

have　the　birds　deceived　thee；　hasten　and　dry　the　maiden's

tears。〃



〃Nothing　worse　than　death　can　befall　me；〃　thought　the

Prince；　〃and　death　is　better　than　endless　sorrow。〃　So　he

mounted　his　horse　and　went　to　the　bridge。　Again　he

heard　the　water…lily's　lament；　and；　hesitating　no　longer；

smeared　himself　all　over　with　mud；　and；　saying：　〃From　a

man　into　a　crab；〃　plunged　into　the　river。　For　one　moment

the　water　hissed　in　his　ears；　and　then　all　was　silent。　He

swam　up　to　the　plant　and　began　to　loosen　its　roots；　but　so

firmly　were　they　fixed　in　the　mud　and　reeds　that　this　took

him　a　long　time。　He　then　grasped　them　and　rose　to　the

surface；　letting　the　water　flow　over　the　flower。　The　current

carried　them　down　the　stream；　but　nowhere　could　he

see　the　mountain　ash。　At　last　he　saw　it；　and　close　by　the

large　stone。　Here　he　stopped　and　said：　〃From　a　crab　into

a　man；　from　a　water…lily　into　a　maiden；〃　and　to　his

delight　found　himself　once　more　a　prince；　and　the　maiden

was　by　his　side。　She　was　ten　times　more　beautiful　than

before；　and　wore　a　magnificent　pale　yellow　robe；　sparkling

with　jewels。　She　thanked　him　for　having　freed　her

from　the　cruel　witch's　power；　and　willingly　consented　to

marry　him。



But　when　they　came　to　the　bridge　where　he　had　left　his

horse　it　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　for；　though　the　Prince

thought　he　had　been　a　crab　only　a　few　hours；　he　had　in

reality　been　under　the　water　for　more　than　ten　days。

While　they　were　wondering　how　they　should　reach　his

father's　court；　they　saw　a　splendid　coach　driven　by　six

gaily　caparisoned　horses　coming　along　the　bank。　In　this

they　drove　to　the　palace。　The　King　and　Queen　were　at

church；　weeping　for　their　son；　whom　they　had　long

mourned　for　dead。　Great　was　their　delight　and　astonishment

when　the　Prince　entered；　leading　the　beautiful

maiden　by　the　hand。　The　wedding　was　at　once　celebrated

and　there　was　feasting　and　merry…making　throughout　the

kingdom　for　six　weeks。



Some　time　afterward　the　Prince　and　his　bride　were

sitting　in　the　garden；　when　a　crow　said　to　them：

〃Ungrateful　creatures！　Have　you　forgotten　the　two　poor

maidens　who　helped　you　in　your　distress？　Must　they

spin　gold　flax　for　ever？　Have　no　pity　on　the　old　witch。

The　three　maidens　are　princesses；　whom　she　stole　away

when　they　were　children　together；　with　all　the　silver

utensils；　which　she　turned　into　gold　flax。　Poison　were　her

fittest　punishment。〃



The　Prince　was　ashamed　of　having　forgotten　his　promise

and　set　out　at　once；　and　by　great　good　fortune　reached

the　hut　when　the　old　woman　was　away。　The　maidens　had

dreamed　that　he　was　coming；　and　were　ready　to　go　with

him；　but　first　they　made　a　cake　in　which　they　put　poison；

and　left　it　on　a　table　where　the　old　woman　was　likely　to

see　it　when　she　returned。　She　DID　see　it；　and　thought　it

looked　so　tempting　tha